stage 4 vs ls..Help please

[DTR rex]

Originally posted by Dan00Hawk
I'll choose to disagree... Most every LS1 enthusiast with an automatic and high stall torque converter will tell you that gears aren't really worth it. When deciding if one should do gears or a torque converter, 90+% of the informed LS1 world will do the high stall converter. I've been heavily involved in the LS1 world since 1999, and help run the Midwest F-Body Association (ubb.mfba.org) here in Chicago, so I see these things on a more than regular basis. We have a track rental (whole track to ourselves) down at US41 coming up in May, if anyone would like to see 50 or so F-bodies (LT1's and LS1's) running it out.

Also, if 13secwrx was 1/2 car off the LS1's rear bumper the whole way (as he indicated), he would definitely hear if the car had a catback and long tube headers. The sound volume between a stock muffler and a simple flowmaster is evident enough. Full length headers would make it that much more apparent...

Of course, I'm just speculating like the rest of you, so I could indeed be wrong. But my sources and experience are probably more reliable the guy whose cousin's neighbor's secretary's boyfriend has an LS1...

13secwrx never said the LS1 was quiet. infact if you look at the post above this one, he stated it was "very loud". as for gears or HSTC debate... i am sure you are right. i dont know much about that since i am not fond of domestics.

none the less though, i know very many people with modded LS1's and almost all would do an exhaust before high stall or ecu.
i say he probably had exhaust, but whatever. its not worth arguing over.

[vaindrumr]

Looks and sounds are decieving. It doesn't matter how loud a car sounds or how mean it looks, that don't mean nothing. There is a guy that has a Z28 or SS and pulled up into a parking lot one night. A friend of mine asked what I thought it sounded like. I said that it sounded pretty normal, as in not being modded. Ended up that he has a Twin Turbo setup on the car and is pushing around 1000HP. Man was I wrong. But I would have never guessed by hearing it. So that's my two cents.

[zoophagy]

Originally posted by vaindrumr
Looks and sounds are decieving. It doesn't matter how loud a car sounds or how mean it looks, that don't mean nothing. There is a guy that has a Z28 or SS and pulled up into a parking lot one night. A friend of mine asked what I thought it sounded like. I said that it sounded pretty normal, as in not being modded. Ended up that he has a Twin Turbo setup on the car and is pushing around 1000HP. Man was I wrong. But I would have never guessed by hearing it. So that's my two cents.

I think this guy was BSing you. I do not think he had 1000HP.

[StoplightWarrior]

converters help the Auto LS1s a LOT. They can cut 1.8ish 60s with em and they pick up about 5tenths also. For reference, my buddy with a 00 z28 auto coupe ran a 13.4@108 with just a lid and cutout (very basic mods) and on street tires with a 2.2 60'. LS1s are FAST if they are driven right!! I dont have any track times on mine, but I'm making 330rwhp with just a lid, cutout, pulley and ported stock throttle body. That is not anything major at all. If you cant pull an ls1 out of the hole, you're not gonna be catching it, they pull and pull and pull the faster you go.

[13secwrx]

This will sound stupid but it seemed like at the end of 3rd i was pulling better then 1st or 2nd. I didnt launch of course becuse I like my gears...I wish I couldve got into 4th but he never let me he kept braking. I know what monsters these things are in higher rpm's but my 4th feels real strong w/21lbs holding longer then in other gears...

Oh and he didnt have a chip it was a delta re-flash....

[StoplightWarrior]

Originally posted by 13secwrx
This will sound stupid but it seemed like at the end of 3rd i was pulling better then 1st or 2nd. I didnt launch of course becuse I like my gears...I wish I couldve got into 4th but he never let me he kept braking. I know what monsters these things are in higher rpm's but my 4th feels real strong w/21lbs holding longer then in other gears...

Oh and he didnt have a chip it was a delta re-flash....

the chip could actually be hurting him...many times, people will mess with their computers when they have few mods, and they wont see any power gains. Its not like on Turbo cars where chips can do a lot for you. Ls1s dont really need tuning until you go cam/longtubes, etc.

[All8up]

Not to take away from what that F-body did...When does your car taper down to 15psi? Does it start at like 5k rpms? That in itself could certainly hurt you. Do you know why your car is losing boost?
He might just have his hands on one of those cars that just came out of the factory faster. I knew 2 guys w/ z28s and one modd'd his car and the other kept it stock, and the guy w/ the modd'd (I/H/E) could barely beat the stock z28. Crazier things happen.

[13secwrx]

Well I retuned and road tested my car and seem to fix the problem somewhat. It doesnt taper off as much due to me adding some timing and boost. My boost wasnt holding steady. Its a vf22 so I know its gonna lose some. I ordered an 18g so we'll see if I can get him w/that. Once installed Im going hunting....